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UCLA Basketball: Steve Alford has not kept his promise about the defense

By Mike Regalado

KANSAS CITY, MO - NOVEMBER 20: Head coach Steve Alford of the UCLA Bruins reacts from the bench during the National Collegiate Basketball Hall Of Fame Classic game against the Creighton Bluejays at the Sprint Center on November 20, 2017 in Kansas City, Missouri. (Photo by Jamie Squire/Getty Images)
KANSAS CITY, MO - NOVEMBER 20: Head coach Steve Alford of the UCLA Bruins reacts from the bench during the National Collegiate Basketball Hall Of Fame Classic game against the Creighton Bluejays at the Sprint Center on November 20, 2017 in Kansas City, Missouri. (Photo by Jamie Squire/Getty Images) /
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WESTWOOD, CA – NOVEMBER 27: UCLA Director of Athletics Dan Guerrero speaks to the media after introducing Chip Kelly as the new UCLA Football head coach during a press conference on November 27, 2017 in Westwood, California. (Photo by Josh Lefkowitz/Getty Images)
WESTWOOD, CA – NOVEMBER 27: UCLA Director of Athletics Dan Guerrero speaks to the media after introducing Chip Kelly as the new UCLA Football head coach during a press conference on November 27, 2017 in Westwood, California. (Photo by Josh Lefkowitz/Getty Images) /

Alford gets back his extension back

We don’t necessarily need numbers to show us that UCLA has not been all they can be with defense. The “eyeballing test” is good enough. The Bruins have had good stretches of defense in several games this season, unfortunately it is not consistent and it is not getting better.

Before this season started, Athletic Director Dan Guerrero gave back the extension to Alford after the Bruins went 31-5 (a change from 15-17 in the previous season). Many questioned it as Alford showed progress in only one season, plus, he did not win any hardware (no regular season Pac-12 Championship, no Pac-12 Tournament Championship and definitely no NCAA Championship).

And now look at where the Bruins are. Halfway through the season and they have already matched their loss total for last year. So unless UCLA can rattle off 18-staright wins to match 31-5, it is apparent that the Bruins are going to have a worse record than last season.

This is concerning. Alford has not only failed to improve the defense, but offense has not helped them out as it should and this team can be a very good offensive team. I’ll go so far to say that they can be a very good defensive team, they are just not consistent.